January 12, 2006

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water,
and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world,
and am free.

~Wendell Berry

3 comments:

isaiah said...

This is my brother-in-law's favorite poem...and does me a world of good to read it again this afternoon.

It send me to the Appalachian mountains of Hot Springs, NC where I rest by the ancient waters of the French Broad and inhale the mystic scent of woods and wilderness.

All is well-

Thanks for the post M.

Namaste

Meredith said...

I rest by the ancient waters
of the French Broad -
by beautiful flowing streams
sharing my Appalachian home.
Near these waters I inhale
mystic scents of woods
and wilderness,
and am reminded ~

All is well.

***
Thank you my dear friend,

Namaste
~M

Jon said...

So what French broad are resting with, Isaiah? Remember, you're married!

:-)